A comparative study on enteric parasitic infections in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed children in Egypt

• Published in: Comparative clinical pathology Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 1509 - 1514
• Main Authors: El-Mahallawy, Hadir, El Basha, Noussa R., Zaki, Mayssa M., El-Arousy, Maha, Elswaifi, Shaadi F., Abo-hashem, E. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer London 01.09.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cryptosporidium; Entamoeba dispar; Entamoeba histolytica; Giardia lamblia; Hematology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Oncology; Original Article; Pathology; Immunosuppressed; Intestinal protozoa; Microscopy; Immunocompetent; ELISA
• ISSN: 1618-5641; 1618-565X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00580-013-1814-5

Diarrheal diseases are widespread all over the world, not only threaten human health but also greatly affect society and economy. Immune status may affect parasitic infections and the ability to combat such diseases. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections in immunosuppressed pediatric patients in comparison to immunocompetent ones with gastroenteritis. A total of 189 stool samples were collected from 100 immunocompetent diarrheic children at Cairo University Children's Hospitals and 89 children with cancer and diarrhea at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University. All cases were subjected to history taking and clinical examination. Stool samples were examined microscopically and by ELISA for Entamoeba histolytica , Giardia lamblia , and Cryptosporidium oocyts. Frequency and duration of both diarrhea and vomiting were significantly higher in immunosuppressed children ( P  < 0.01). E. histolytica , Giardia, and Cryptosporidium were detected in 2 (1.1 %), 29 (15.3 %), and in 9 (4.8 %) samples, respectively, whereas 46 (24.3 %) cases were positive for other parasitic infections. Overall parasitic infections were positive in 86 stool samples (45.5 %): 41 belonging to immunocompetent patients (41 %) and 45 (50.6 %) to the immunosuppressed group though with no statistically important difference. Parasitic infections in Egyptian children with gastroenteritis are still high. No difference in prevalence of infections between immunosuppressed and immunocompetent children, yet clinical data were statistically higher in immunosuppressed patients ( P  < 0.01). ELISA is as good as microscopy and is advantageous in its ability to differentiate between E . histolytica and Entamoeba dispar , thus can aid routine labs in detecting parasitic pathogens.